So, you’ve decided that you want to change your life for the better and start being active with beginner’s tips for working out. You want to be fit, shed some unnecessary weight, build some muscles, and just generally be healthier physically and mentally. Besides eating healthy and adding more fruits and vegetables into your diet, the way you can accomplish this is by having a regular workout routine.
Establishing a routine can be pretty hard for newbies. You’re just not sure where to start, and being unsure of where to start can lead to injuries and accidents pretty quickly. You need to know what you’re getting into so you not only do things properly and safely, but you also maintain the habit in the long-run.
Below is a list of five beginner’s tips for working out.
1. Start Slow
One of the worst things you can do—perhaps the worst thing you can do—for yourself when you start working out is setting the bar too high. Your body needs to ease in to the feel of working out, which means you can’t just start doing cardio and weight training for one hour five days a week. Your body is going to burn out quickly, leaving you demotivated. Additionally, this makes you prone to accidents or injuries as your body just isn’t accustomed to regular physical activity.
Exercise physiologists highly recommend you give your body time to adjust to your new routine. If you’re an absolute beginner to exercising, you should start with 1 to 2 days of 30-minute workouts. If you used to exercise but stopped, then you can start with 2 to 3 days of 30-minute workouts. Once you feel comfortable, you can start ramping up the days and workouts.
2. Stretch Your Muscles
This is the beginner’s tip of all beginner’s tips for working out! Stretching is an activity a lot of people take for granted. It gets your muscles primed and ready for the abuse it’s about to take. If you don’t stretch or warm up the muscles, you risk getting injured while exercising. Your muscles will likely also take a long time to recover from microscopic tearing and bruising.
Stretch your entire body for at least 15 seconds before each workout. And we mean it when we say entire body. You can’t just stretch your legs just because you’re only working out your legs that day. You have to remember exercise isn’t isolated—for example, lunges work both the legs and the abs! How awful would it be to have normal legs and sore abs after your workout?
3. Do a Little Bit of Everything
Exercise is something you need to make a habit. One way to maintain the habit is to ensure you never get bored of it, and to ensure you never get bored of it, you always want to do something different every time you work out. Doing the same thing over and over won’t get you far. It will also make you stagnant as you’re not really working your muscles anymore—you’re just doing something you always do.
Most people separate their week into a different part of the body. They do legs on Monday, abs on Tuesday, arms on Wednesday, and so on. You can also switch up the type of working out you’re doing by having cardio on Thursday, weightlifting on Friday, pilates on Saturday, and more. Then, of course, you need to have a rest day on Sunday to give your body a break!
4. Understand Weight
You shouldn’t overestimate what you’re capable of. A common rookie mistake when working out is going for the heaviest weights you can carry, when really you should be going for 2/3 of that maximum weight. That way, you lessen the risk of injuring yourself and allow your muscle to build strength.
This method also allows you to do reps, which is what you really need if you want to build muscle in the first place. If you can’t do an exercise more than once or twice in a row, you’re pushing yourself too hard.
If you’re having a hard time determining the right weight for you, you should always ask an employee at the gym. They’re legally bound to teach you how to work the machines and also give you the right weight.
If you work out at home, don’t fret. There are many resources out there that can help you figure out your weight, like us!
5. Know When to Rest
Letting your body rest, recharge, and recuperate is so important to your workout routine. Yes, rest is essential if you want to keep your body at its best!
When you exercise, your body goes through a lot, and sometimes that ends up in a lot of damage. This damage is completely normal and, in fact, necessary if you want to build muscle and also lose fat. However, if the body is constantly repairing itself while you continue to damage it by exercising every day, it is eventually going to take a toll on you. Your body will be rock solid and difficult to move, making exercise a painful experience.
When this happens, you know you’re due a break. The popular saying might go, “No pain, no gain,” but even too much pain is bad for you. Remember, even Olympic athletes take breaks once in a while! Why not get a massage for those sore muscles too?
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed our list of beginner’s tips for working out! We’re very happy that you’ve made a step in the right direction and decided to start exercising. We wish you good luck on your journey, and please remember to be gentle with yourself!
